Material handling elevator



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ABSTRACT: A material handling elevator for food materials or the like including a vertical support post having a first bearing means rigidly secured thereto adjacent the lower end thereof and a second bearing means vertically slidably mounted thereon adjacent the upper end thereof. A driven shaft extends through the second bearing means laterally from the post and an idler shaft is mounted in the first bearing means and extends laterally therefrom. The shafts support a cup conveyor belt means movably mounted thereon and which is enclosed by a casing secured to the support post. One side of the casing is enclosed by a removable cover to facilitate the cleaning of the interior of the casing.

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uns n PATENTEU DEERE mu firraemzws MATERIAL HANDLING ELEVATOR Conventional material handling elevators rely upon'the inherent strength of the casing to support themselves. Thus, if the elevator is constructed of a stainless steel material so as to permit its usage in a food handling environment, the cost of constructing the elevator would be prohibitive due to the fact that the casing of the elevator would have to be made strong enough to support the entire weight of the elevator. Additionally, the conventional elevators .do not'provide a means whereby the interior of the elevators can be conveniently cleaned which is necessary in the food industry.

Therefore, it is a principal object of. this invention to provide a material handling elevator for use in the food industry.

A further object of this invention is to pi'ovide a material handling elevator including a vertical support post which supports the elevator casing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a material handling elevator having means thereon to adjust the tension in the-conveyor belt.

A further object of this inventionis to provide a material handling elevator including an elevator casing having one side thereof removably closed by a cover means.

A further objectof this invention is to provide a material handling elevator whichmay easily be cleaned.

A further object of this invention is to provide a material handling elevator including a support post and bearing means associated therewith which-will be common to various types of elevators regardless of thematerial of the casing.

A further object of this inventionis to provide amaterial handling elevator which is freestanding. i

A further object of this inventionis to provide a material handling elevator which includes a stainless steel casing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a material handling elevator which is economical o f manufacture, durable in use and refined inappearance. W

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, andcombination of the various parts of the' device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the elevator;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elevator illustrating the casing cover removed therefrom; and i FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top bearing means and the removable slot and shaft seal associated therewith. 7

The elevator of this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes a support post 11 and a casing 13 secured thereto at one side thereof. A base plate 15 is secured to the lower end of post 11 by welding or the like and would normally be secured to a supporting surface such as a floor or the like. A conventional double bearing means 17 of the ball bearing type is detachably secured topost 11 adjacent the lower end thereof by any convenient means such as by bolts 19 and clamps 21. An idler shaft 23 preferably constructed of a stainless steel materialis mounted in bearing means 17 and extends laterally therefrom as seen in FIG. 1,-

A square tube 25 is slidably mounted 'on the upper end of post 11 and has a conventional bearings 27 of the ball-bearing double-pillow block type secured thereto by any convenient means. A shaft 29 preferably constructed of a stainless steel material is mounted in bearing means27 and is operatively secured to and driven by a gear reducer means 31 which is driven by a conventional motor 33. Gear reducer means 31 is supported by shaft 29 and supports motor 33. A torque arm (not shown) is connected to gear reducer means 31- and is connected to tube 25 to prevent counterrotation of gear reducer means 31 and motor 33. A cable 35 is secured to tube 25 and passes over a pulley 37 which is rotatably secured to the upper end of post 11 as viewed in FIG. 2. The lower end of cable 35 is secured to a threaded member 39 which is threadably mounted on a bolt memberAl having a crank handle 43 secured to one end thereof as seen as in FIG. 2. Bolt member 41 is rotatably mounted on a bracket means 45 which is secured to one side of post 11 by bolts or the like. The rotation of crank handle 43 causes bolt-member 41 to be rotated which causes threaded member 39 to longitudinally move along the length of bolt member 41 thereby raising or lowering square tube 25 on post 11.

Casing 13 includes an upper end 45, wall 49, and opposite sidewalls 51 and 53. Casing 13 is secured to post 11 by means of clamp-assemblies 55 and 57 secured to post 11 and being connected tov braces 59 and 51 which are secured to casing 13 as illustratedin FIG. 1.

Casing 13 is provided with an inlet opening 63 formed in side 53 adjacent the lower end thereof-which is adapted to receive the material from any convenient means such as a hopper, adapter, etc. Casing 13 is provided-with a discharge spout means 65 at its upper end as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A plurality ofpivotal locking levers 67 are pivotally secured to casing 13 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2' and are adapted to lock the cover 69 on casing 13 at the open side 70 thereof. Pulley 71 is mounted on shaft 29 in'casing 13 and a pulley 73 .is mounted. on shaft 23 in casing v13. The numeral 75 designates a belt which extends around the pulleys 71 and'73 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and has a plurality of cups 77 mounted thereon adapted to convey the material from inlet opening 63 to discharge chute means 65. f

FIG. 3 illustrates the relationship of the shaft 29 and the casing 13 which form an important part of this invention due to a the fact that shaft 29 is vertically movable so that the tension of the belt 75 can be adjusted. Shafi 29 extends through an elongated vertical slot formed in wall 49'and a pair of guide members 78 and 81 are secured to wall 49 adjacent opposite sides of the elongated vertical slot. Seals 83 and 85 are slidably received between guide members 78 and 81 above and below shaft 29 as illustrated in FIG. 3. A split seal means 87 embraces shaft 29 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and is secured to seals 83 and 85 by bolts or screws. A pair of locking means 89 and 91 are operatively secured to the tube-25 and are provided with plungers 93 and 95 respectively which are adapted'to be moved into engagement with the outer surface of the seals 83 or 85 upon movement of the handle means associated with the locking means to maintain the seals 83 or 85 against the easing. Thus, when it is desired to increase the tension on the belt 75 it is simply necessary to rotate crank-43 in-one direction so that threaded element 39 moves downwardly on bolt member 41 thereby causing cable 35 to pull the square tube 25, motor 33, gear box 31, bearing means 27 and shaft 29 upwardly with respect to post 1 l and casing 13. The seals 83, 85 and 87 vertically move with shaft 29. It is only necessary to loosen locking means 89 and 91 when it is desired to clean between the casing and the seals.

The elevator of this invenu'on is ideally suited for use in the food handling industry due to the factthat the cover 69 may be easily removed from the casing 13 to facilitate the cleaning of the interior of casing 13 with water, steam, etc. When the elevator is used to handle food materials, casing 13, cover 69, shafts 23 and 29, pulleys 71 and 73 and cup 77 should be constructed of a suitable stainless steel material. The casing 13 and cover 69 may also be constructed of carbon steel, plastic or fibre glass materials. Belt 77 is constructed of a suitable material which will withstand wear and cleaning and be compatible with the material being handled.

Post 11 permits the casing 13 and cover 69 to be constructed of relatively light material since the casing will not have to have the inherent strength to support itself with the drive and belt assembly. Additionally, the elevator of this invention permits a manufacturer to reduce the necesary inventory since post 11, bearing means 17 and 27, shafts 23 and 29,

' motor 33 and gear box 31 will be common to all manufactured elevators regardless of the particulardesign of the casing 13.

lower end 47, back and simply mounted on the post 11 and the structure associated therewith which would be the only parts which the manufacturer would be required to maintain on hand. The overall effect of the manufacturing procedure just outlined is that a manufacturer will be able to fill special orders very rapidly due to the fact that the entire elevator will not have to be manufactured upon receipt of the special order.

Thus it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

1 claim: 1. A material handling elevator, comprising: a vertical support post having upper and lower ends; an elongated elevator casing secured in a spaced parallel relationship to said support post, said casing having a discharge opening adjacent its upper end and on intake opening adjacent its lower end; a conveyor means completely housed in said casing; a power means driving said conveyormeans; said casing having one side thereof closed by a removable cover means; first and second bearing means secured to said support post; a first shaft mounted in said first bearingmeans and having one end extending into said casing; 21 second shaft mounted in said second bearing means and having one end extending into said casing; said power means being operatively connected to said second shaft; said conveyor means being mounted on said first and second shafts; said second bearing means being secured to a tube slidably mounted on said support post; and adjustment means connected to said tubev whereby said tube can be moved upwardly on said support post to increase the tension in said conveyor means. 2. The elevator of claim 1 wherein said power means is operatively secured to said tube.

3. A material handling elevator, comprising: a vertical support post having upper and lower ends; an elongated elevator casing secured in a spaced parallel relationship to said support post, said casing having a discharge opening adjacent its upper end and on intake opening adjacent its lower end; a conveyor means completely housed in said casing; a power means driving said conveyor means;

said casing having one side thereof closed by a removable cover means;

first and second bearing means secured to said suppon post;

a first shaft mounted in said first bearing means and having one end extending into said casing;

a second shaft mounted in said second bearing means and having one end extending into said casing;

said power means being operatively connected to said second shaft;

a conveyor means being mounted on said first and second shafts; and

said second shaft extending through a vertical slot formed in said casing, said slot being selectively closed by a seal means positioned above and below said second shaft.

4. The elevator of claim 3 wherein said seal means is maintained in position by a pivotal locking means.

5. A material handling elevator, comprising: a single vertical support post having upper and lower ends;

an elongated elevator casing secured in a spaced parallel relationship to said support post at one side thereof, said casing having a vertically disposed back wall positioned adjacent said support post in a spaced relationship thereto;

said casing having sidewalls extending from said backwall defining a casing interior;

said casing having an access opening having substantially the same configuration as said backwall;

said casing including a cover means removably mounted thereon which closes said access opening said casing having-a discharge opening adjacent its upper end and an intake opening adjacent its lower end;

a conveyor means completely housed in said casing interior;

a powerv means driving said conveyor means; and

a plurality of brackets secured to said post between its upper and lower ends and which are secured to said casing'for supporting the same said post having a first shaft rotatably secured thereto adjacent its lower end which extends transversely therefrom through said backwall into I said casing, said post having a second shaft rotatably secured thereto adjacent its upper end which extends transversely therefrom through said backwall into said casing, said conveyor means being supported on said first and second shafts, said power means being connected to one of said first and second shafts for powering the same. 

